Rail joint connection



Jan. 2, 1940. U m 2,185,357

RAIL JOINT CONNECTION Filed July 28, 1937 I9 I 23 2o I- l9 lNVENTOR Max Pup r) 9 BY 1 ATT ORNEY RAIL JOINT CONNEGTI-ON Max Riiping, Frankfort on-the-Main, Germany Application July 28, 1937, Serial No. 156,051 In Germany August 8, 1936 6 Claims. (Cl. 238168) My invention relates to improvements in rail correspondingly tapered suitably recessed expanjoint connections, in which the two abutting rail sion plates 25 and 26. The lower expansion plate ends are arranged on a bridge plate resting on 25 is provided with-longitudinal downwardly protwo adjacent sleepers. jectingshoulders 2'! which straddle the cradle I8.

The objects of my invention are: first, to pm- The upper expansion plate 26 fits between the vide a rail connection having three supporting les i Of t e bri ep H and is held by the points for the abutting rail ends, said supporting same against transverse displacement. A rubber points being rigidly braced with respect to each h d 3 is disposed o the pp eXpehsioh plate other; second, to afford facilities for the proper 2-3 and is covered by a WOOd Shim plate 29 having adjustment of one of the supports to bring the a width substantially equal to that of the rail 10 three supporting points to one and the same eleflanges l and a le Corresponding o that vation regardless of the irregularities of the 0 the b d plate IL The rail fl es l5 t track; and third, to produce a rail connection immediately p the Shim plate NT FFECE with a three-point support which may be readily The orrec adjustment f t supporting mreadjusted during use, if necessary, without disbers is effected by driving the W firmly 15 mounting the joint. between the two expansion plates 25 and 26 until I attain these objects by means of a constructhe uppe Surface of e rubber D 28 is On tion, one embodiment of which is illustratively the same elevation as the surfaces of the solid exemplified in the accompanying drawing, in e s I? of the d e P e which: The outer end of the wedge 24 is provided with 20 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the new rail a plurality of transversely aligned holes Which connection with a part of the bridge plate broken sp d to a p ty of S la ly arr n e away and some elements of the construction but difierently spaced holes 3| in one side bar I! shown in section; of the bridge plate H. A pin 32 is inserted Fig. 2 is an elevational plan view of the joint through O e Of the holes 3| in the bridge Plate ll 25 from above with the mug nd the shim plate into one of the holes of the wedge 24 to secure omitted, and the latter in the desired position against move- Fig. 3 is a substantially transverse sectional e t. View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. After p p adjustment of the wedge 24, the

30 Referring to the drawing, H denotes a bridge rail ends 20 immediately adjacent the joint are 30 plate, which rests at its ends I2 upon two sleepers firmly pp d at an elevation equal to that 0f 13, and which is provided with two upstanding the other supp r p in s n he l ep rs l3 longitudinal ribs M forming the seat for the rail and all parts of the joint connection are rigidly flanges l5. Two longitudinal parallel slits 16 are braced with respec o each Othere fi p- 35 provided in the bridge plate I I inside and adjacent po t of t rail ends at three points and the tellt 35 the ribs M, the slits dividing the suspended part arrangemen of a e e o e jo nt 0 of the bridge plate i! into three portions, viz., nection cause a considerable reduction in hamtwo side bars ll, forming a rigid frame with the mering or impacts of the wheels against the solid ends I2 of the bridge plate H (see Fig. 2), joint. These impacts are still further reduced and a longitudinal mid-portion l8 curved downand absorbed by the elastic rubber pad 28 dis- 40 wardly to form a depending cradle-like carrier posed directly beneath the rail flanges. The shim which is integral with said rigid frame (see Fig. 1). plate 29 protects the rubber pad 28 against fric- The two rails l9 are supported upon the solid tional disintegration due to temperature changes ends E2 of the bridge plate II and the sleepers resulting in the expansion and contraction of I3, respectively, and project towards each other the rail. 45 until their ends abut above the center of the Any loosening of the expansion plates 25, 26, cradle carrier E8. The rails B9 are fixed to the due to wear and tear of the parts, may be easily sleepers by means of elastic rail spikes 2| protaken up. For this purpose the pin 32 is withje through holes 22 in the bridge plate drawn and the wedge 24 is driven further bes plates 23 connect the rail ends 20 to each tween the expansion plates 25 and 26 to spread 50 other in the usual manner. the same until the desired position is attained,

Disposed in the space between the cradle I8 whereupon the pin 32 is inserted again in the and the rail ends 20 is an assembly of elements respective holes 3|] and 3|. i composed as follows: A wedge 24 is arranged 1 1m l at adiu ab y i sve se direction betwe tw 1. Arail joint connection comprising two sleepers, a bridge plate resting at its ends upon said sleepers, said bridge plate comprising a rigid straight frame and having a longitudinal midportion integral with the solid ends and side bars separated from said mid-portion said midportion being curved downwardly to form a cradle-like carrier, two abutting rails supported on and secured to said bridge plate ends, respectively, fish plates connecting said abutting rails, and an expansion assembly inserted between the cradle-like carrier and the flanges of the adjacent rail ends, said expansion assembly including a transversely adjustable wedge and an upper expansion plate contacting said adjustable wedge with a correspondingly tapered lower surface and being secured against transverse displacements between the straight side bars of said frame.

2. A rail point connection, as claimed in claim 1, in which said expansion assembly comprises further a lower expansion plate contacting said transversely adjustable wedge with a correspondingly tapered upper surface, and means to engage said lower expansion plate with said cradle-like carrier so as to secure said plate against transverse displacements.

3. A rail joint connection, as claimed in claim 1, in which the outer portion of said wedge is provided with a plurality of transversely aligned holes and in which a plurality of differently spaced holes is arranged along the same transverse line in the corresponding side bar of the bridge plate, comprising further a pin adapted to be inserted into any two holes having been brought into registry, whereby said wedge is secured against movement.

4. A rail joint connection, as claimed in claim 1, in which said expansion assembly comprises further a resilient pad disposed on said upper expansion plate between said side bars.

5. A rail joint connection, as claimed in claim 1, in which said expansion assembly comprises further a rubber pad disposed over said upper expansion plate, and a wood shim plate arranged between said rubber pad and the rail flanges, said wood shim plate having a width equal to that of the rail flange and a length corresponding to that of the bridge plate, said rubber pad and shim plate being secured against transverse displacements between the side bars of said frame.

6. A rail joint connection, as claimed in claim 1, in which two parallel longitudinal ribs are provided on said frame adjacent the inner edges of said side bars to accommodate the flanges of said abutting rails.

MAX RiiPmG. 

